The Cazenovia Village Board unanimously adopted its tentative 2015 budget last week and, although tax rates for the coming year will decrease, village assessments this year have increased after last year’s property revaluation, which means the average homeowner will see a slight rise in their taxes.
The nearly $2.7 million village budget, which the board has been working on since February and made available to the public in March, includes a proposed tax levy rate of $5.69 per $1,000, which is a 12 percent decrease from the $6.49 rate last year.
Mayor Kurt Wheeler, who gave a brief presentation during a public hearing on the proposed budget on April 6, said the tax rate was dropped because the village went from a 70-to-80 percent property valuation last year to a 100 percent valuation this year.
“This year because of assessments we had to reset everything [but] the assessment growth allowed us to balance budget without too much pain,” Wheeler said. “So the rate has dropped but most people’s property values have gone up.”
Wheeler estimated the typical village house will see between 5 and 10 percent difference from last year in their total tax bill.
The one major difference in this year’s budget versus previous years is the inclusion of a new $37,480 budget line for the new fire department Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP). The program allows firefighters with enough years of service to accrue a monetary amount — similar to a retirement or 401K benefit — at retirement at age 65, with a maximum allowance of 40 years’ worth. There is also a lump sum death benefit.
“This is a substantial amount, but I see it as a tremendous investment down the road,” Wheeler said.
Total assessed value of taxable property in village was $201 million, up from $160 million last year.
The village’s estimated sales tax revenue from Madison County was $620,000, an increase from $580,000 last year, Wheeler said.
“This is the best way that people can keep their property taxes low,” Wheeler said. “The more people shop locally and more money generated in sales tax in Madison County means the lower their property taxes will be. Four cents of every dollar you spend goes to Madison County, which gets distributed to the local municipalities.”
After the board’s public budget hearing, during which no members of the public made any questions or comments, the board unanimously approved a local law authorizing the village to exceed the 2 percent tax cap.
The board will vote to formally adopt the 2015-16 village budget at its May meeting. Until then, the village board is still accepting public comments and questions on the budget, which is available for public viewing in the village municipal office.
The board also announced at its April 6 meeting that water rates for customers of the Village of Cazenovia Water Department will increase 6 percent this year. This increase reflects an average annual increase of 2 percent per year for the past three years, during which there was no rate increase.
The new rate schedule becomes effective April 15 and will be reflected in customers’ October 2015 water bills, said Trustee and Village Water Commissioner David Porter.
Letters will be sent to all village water users explaining the new rate schedule, Porter said.
Also at the meeting, the board:
—Unanimously approved a resolution to create alternate members on the village planning board, zoning board of appeals and Historic Preservation Committee. Alternate members would be non-voting members of the respective boards who could, if the need arose through absences or conflicts of interest, join in discussions and vote on issues where the board may need a quorum. No alternates were appointed at the meeting. The board agreed to wait until its annual July 1 organizational meeting to make the appointments, since there is no immediate need currently.
—Heard from Trustee and Village Tree Commissioner Amy Mann that Cazenovia received its fourth consecutive Tree City USA designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation in March, and she reminded residents that the commission will hold an Arbor Day celebration at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Lakeland Park. Mann also said that L.L. Bean will once again be staging its summer Outdoor Discovery School from the beach at Lakeland Park this year.
—Heard from Trustee and Village Parks Commissioner Fritz Koennecke that the public boat launch at Lakeside Park will open on April 25.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
